Vaginal devices for delivering a drug are known to the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,439 issued to Gordon W. Ducan discloses an intravaginal ring-shaped device that can be made of varying types of polymeric materials. The device is formed of a solid polymer containing drug that is released by diffusion to the vagina. The device optionally contains a tension spring for keeping it in the vagina. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,805 patentee Theodore J. Roseman discloses a solid, polymeric device that has a nonmedical central core and an encircling medicated coating of the polymer. The device releases drug by diffusion and in a preferred embodiment, the device is ring-shaped with a flat tensioning spring molded in the nonmedicated central core.
While the above-described devices are useful for certain applications, serious disadvantages are frequently associated with these devices that limit their use. For example, generally the polymers used by the prior art are thermoset polymers which require molding and curing fabrication procedures to form solid devices. These fabrication procedures tend to restrict the shape of the device, and the use of said polymers limits the amount of drug that can be loaded into the polymer and leads to a more rigid device. Those versed in the art will recognize that if vaginal devices can be provided made of materials that are essentially free from the above tribulations, such devices would be a valuable advancement in the art and a useful improvement.